‘Bachchala Malli’ movie review: Allari Naresh is the only saving grace of this mega-bore

Filmmaker Subbu Mangadevi's Bachchala Malli tells the story of a loser in a directionless, over-the-top narrative. Starring Allari Naresh and Amritha Aiyer

In times of chest-thumping heroism when films are relentlessly packed with a series of highs, it is heartening that filmmaker Subbu Mangadevi has chosen to tell the story of a loser rather unapologetically. His Bachchala Malli is about a good-for-nothing youngster Malli (Allari Naresh) who treads a self-destructive path while never recovering from his setbacks.

Malli is, by no means, your average male protagonist. He barely acknowledges his mother’s presence at the house, stitches gunny bags for a living, steals donation boxes from children for a drink at a local bar, engaging in petty fights with fellow customers. As he falls off his bike, lying unconscious on the road, not a soul cares for him, after which you are gradually introduced to his not-so-rosy past.

The film traverses multiple timelines — from 1985 to 2005 — focusing on key incidents that alter the course of Malli’s life. Every setback inevitably circles back to his ‘daddy’ issues. Malli cannot make peace with his father’s decision to leave his mother for another woman; he destroys himself, almost intentionally. He keeps sinking lower and lower, leaving little scope to empathise with him.

The issue with Bachchala Malli is not its titular character or his problems, it is the directionless storytelling. A film may not necessarily have to arrive at something, but the least it could do is to make us feel for its characters. The jaded, over-the-top storytelling compounds its problems.

The film keeps moving from one tragic episode to another — the tally of victims who fall prey to Malli’s actions only keeps rising. While dealing with the love track with Kaveri (Amritha Aiyer), it taps into the age-old fetish of Telugu directors — making a demure, well-educated girl fall for a notorious boy (read stalker) and passing it off as romance. The girl slaps him too, but he is persistent and has his way.

Ironically, women are the silent sufferers in the story. The mother (Rohini), undone by her husband (Kota Jayaram) and son Malli, does not quite have the agency to challenge their authority and put them in their place. Malli’s stepmother is portrayed as a victim of circumstances. Ego clashes among the men — father (Rao Ramesh) and the lover — do not let Kaveri have her way. Malli’s niece Rajyam (Hari Teja,) is an eternal giver and never loses hope despite his mistakes.

Except for a forceful climax where Malli repents, his character arc remains largely static. Seasoned actors Rao Ramesh and Rohini prove their range as performers, especially towards the end. Bachchala Malli had abundant scope to be an emotionally rich tale but has neither the appeal of a masala fare nor the rootedness of a realistic film.